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Edit | Zou Lei
What is generative design? What can we do with application generated design? So when you read teacher Ren Yuan’s article on generative design, you will certainly get inspiration and understanding!
1. What is generative design?
Generative design is a design method.
The usual design method flow is: Idea- design sketch – programming implementation, and the generation design method is: Idea- define rules – programming generation. Their core difference lies in that the traditional design method is a global control mode in the sketch stage, that is, the image presented by the design sketch is basically equal to the final realization image, while the generative design method only generates a mode in the stage of defining rules. The so-called modal is the internal rules of the form, with the idea of modal, then use logic language to generalize its rules, and then use the program to establish these rules, by constantly adjusting the modal function influence variables, and finally generate satisfactory form.
Generative design has been used in many designs, such as architecture (water Cube facade), film (simulated nature effects), signage system (former MIT LOGO), etc. From the principle of generative design, it can be seen that the factors affecting the final form of mode are input variables and rule functions, so whether the created generated graph is unique depends on whether the input variables and rule model are unique. If the design modes and input rules are universal, then the resulting form is also universal, so it is important to choose unique modes and input variables when using generative design methods to identify types of design.
2. Application of generative design in visualization
A familiar example is the classic data visualization force-directed graph.
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Force-directed diagrams are used to visualize “relational data”, with each node representing an individual and each node connected by a straight line. If you have a large number of nodes and a complex relationship, you’re going to get confused at the concept sketching stage using traditional design methods, because you can’t draw all the non-overlapping points and lines at once in a linear fashion. This is where the generative design approach comes in.
Analyze the requirements of “no overlapping nodes, less crossing lines”, which is the formal mode we imagine, so that rules can be established according to the mode. Establishing rules requires some knowledge of math and science. Here guidance with dynamics method, the force repulsion between also is to make each point, can make use of the reverse gravity formula, in addition has the connection with elastic hook’s law to set up, let them produce attractive, so that you can guarantee in the node can guarantee a relationship without overlapping nodes are interconnected, and there were few cross. After the rules are established, reasonable parameters can be substituted, such as large G of universal gravitation and K of Hooke’s law. Finally, the relational data can be substituted into the rules to generate the force guide graph. This is a very classic case of using the generative design method, you can try the force guide diagram, feel its principle.
3. Modes and rules of nature
After the development of complexity theory, many scientists have discovered many unexplainable modal rules in nature, such as fractal rule of trees, self-organization rule of fish, feeding mode of leavers, genetic rule, neural network and so on. These modes are the combination of various forms of macroscopic expression based on certain internal rules. For example, a bird flock can set the radius of its field of vision for each bird to affect its final mode. A large radius will be loose on the macro, while a small radius will be compact on the macro. Generative designers and artists often combine these modal rules to create art.
4. Generate design beauty
Everyone pursues beauty differently, and what is beauty? If I have to explain why, I can only say that what I pursue in generative design is the beauty of balance between chaos and order, which is between chaos without rules and rigid rules. Just like in life, too much repetition in daily life will make it a bit rigid, and the pursuit of change every day is too chaotic. It will be natural to fall between the two, which is my personal pursuit of beauty.
Political philosophy and generative design
“Assuming that the political philosophy into the generated design, political philosophy is the study of algorithms and rules, and in the country built under the guidance of political philosophy, the country’s system, culture, moral and legal form of the whole social phenomenon is generated design, the whole society rules limit each person’s every move, so each individuals produce self-organized behavior, this is the self-organization system. If you change the initial rules of the state you’re likely to have social upheaval, that’s chaos theory. There is a small society within a large society, and a small society within a small society… In social practice, people should neither follow rules nor pursue changes too much. This is the balance between chaos and order. Human beings are constantly exploring the real ‘utopia’ and thus constantly revolutionizing, which is iteration and evolution.”
The above content is my current understanding of generative design, there are not rigorous and wrong places, but also hope everyone to forgive!
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The following is a series of activities held to promote creative programming in China in the last six months. The graphics in the posters of each activity were made using the method of generating design, Processing was used for programming software, and AI and PS were used for typesetting and color mixing.
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Processing programming, based on delaunay triangle segmentation algorithm for image segmentation operation, you can manually add nodes.
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With Processing programming, the image is segmented based on delaunay triangle segmentation algorithm, and the final effect is often referred to as Low Polygon.
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The font is particle, and then the flow of ink is simulated
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With Processing programming, the Box is segmented by fractal and the probability of separation is set.
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Using Processing programming, the tension model is established, and then gravity influence is carried out on the mesh composed of tension.
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Using Processing programming, image contour extraction, and then the extracted contour line curve fitting.
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Dot the image and set the wiring rules
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Using Processing programming, the font contour random evolution, and the evolution of each superposition.
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Create a particle system and set the rules for the particle
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Find out the HTML file OF the history message from the public number OF COURSE and save it in TXT file.
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Use regular expression to extract the date and time and cover image link address.
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Use data to generate boxes in the orthogonal perspective view, each Box is an article, above the Box is the publication time OF the article, through the keyboard control to make all boxes spell into a word “OF”.
These posters only represent the tip of the iceberg of generative design, which has many applications in other fields. I’ll share them with you later.
The graphics in the above posters are generated by Processing programming. The following is a Processing introductory tutorial. You can download the official Processing software to learn how to make a Processing dynamic Logo.
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The link below is the idea and source code:
http://yuanren.cc/processing-icon/
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Ren Yuan
He is a designer and developer, and has been engaged in creative programming since 2007. He is keen on exploring and researching the fields of abstract art, generative art, sound visualization, data visualization, computer graphics, artificial intelligence, complexity theory and so on. He has given lectures in many universities. Currently, he is the executive director of Caixin Data Visualization Lab, the author of Processing Interactive Programming, and the founder of creativecoding.cn.
yuanren.cc
creativecoding.cn
yuanren.zcool.com.cn
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OF COURSE is the intersection OF art, media and technology. Founded in New York, the United States, by the best interactive artists, hackers, computer poets and digital audio and visual experts. We continue to spread the idea of code driven art around the world through workshops. From New York to Shanghai, we continue to explore ideas, new forms, and philosophies of programming art with the emotion of 40 years of technological development. Why hesitate? Let’s enter the intersection of art, media and technology.
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